Monk Blessing…image by TAT

Mark these dates in your diary! Thailand’s largest charity event – The King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament. Anantara Hotels, Resorts and Spas has announced the dates of the highly popular King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament for 2013. According to my friends in the know, this year’s event will be held in the Thai royal seaside town of Hua Hin from August 28^th – 1^st September and promises to have more nail-biting action both on and off the field.

Last year’s tournament featured 12 teams encompassing over 40 players, including German royals, Prince Carl-Eugen Oettingen-Wallerstein, his wife Princess Anna, the New Zealand All-Blacks rugby team and Thailand’s famous transgender cabaret team Miss Tiffany’s.

To date the tournament has raised over $US600,000 which has been donated to various projects to better the lives of elephants and their mahouts throughout Thailand.